Speaker & Sponsor Logistics Guide

Section 1

Welcome and event overview

Welcome, and thank you for being part of Lebanon AI Festival 2026. Whether you are taking the stage, leading a workshop or hosting a booth, this guide gathers the logistics you need for the day in one place.

Organized by ZAKA at Beirut Digital District, the festival is one day of conversation about AI in Lebanon - “Lebanon, Let’s Talk AI.” The programme runs across a Main Stage of ceremonies, panel discussions and company talks, two hands-on workshop tracks (technical and non-technical), a companies’ booth area in the Garden Piazza, and dedicated time for networking.

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMDoors and registration open at 09:00; Opening Ceremony at 10:00
Venue: Beirut Digital DistrictBeirut · sessions are spread across several BDD buildings
Organized by: ZAKAStrategic partner: Beirut Digital District
Main Stage: BDD 1280Opening, panels, company talks, FUN Challenge
Workshops: 2 tracks, from 11:00Technical · BDD 1075 Rooftop
Non-technical · BDD 1227-B - LGF
Companies’ booths: Garden Piazza11:00 - 16:00
Networking: 13:00 Lunch · 16:00 NetworkingLunch & Networking 13:00 - 14:00; Networking & Happy Hour 16:00 - 18:00

To every speaker and sponsor: thank you. Your time, expertise and support are what make this festival possible.

Section 2

Venue and access

The festival takes place across several buildings of Beirut Digital District. The official festival map below shows where each part of the programme happens.

Official festival map of Beirut Digital District, titled ‘Here’s Where It All Happens’. Highlighted locations: BDD 1280 for the opening, panel discussions, company talks and FUN challenge; BDD 1227-B LGF for non-technical workshops; BDD 1243 -1, the ZAKA Base; the Piazza for the companies booth; and BDD 1075 Rooftop for technical workshops. — Official festival map, supplied by ZAKA.

Locations shown on the map

Main Stage
BDD 1280
Opening, panel discussions, company talks and the FUN Challenge. Doors open and registration starts here at 09:00, as listed on the schedule.
Technical Workshops
BDD 1075 · ROOFTOP
Home of the Technical track. Opens at 11:00.
Non-Technical Workshops
BDD 1227-B - LGF
Home of the Non-Technical track. Opens at 11:00.
Piazza - Companies Booth
GARDEN PIAZZA · 11:00 - 16:00
Sponsor and company booths / exhibition area, open from 11:00 to 16:00.
ZAKA Base
BDD 1243 · -1
ZAKA’s main office.

Section 3

Full event schedule

Saturday, September 19 · Beirut Digital District · 9:00 - 18:00. Three programme tracks run in parallel, with the companies’ booths open 11:00 - 16:00 in the Garden Piazza.

09:00Doors open & registration
10:00Opening Ceremony
11:00Workshop tracks open
13:00Lunch & networking
16:00Networking & Happy Hour

CeremonyPanelTalk Technical workshopNon-technical workshop Registration / NetworkingBreakExhibition

Main Stage

BDD 1280

Main Stage schedule
Time	Session	Location
09:00- 10:00	RegistrationDoors Open & Registration	Main Stage · BDD 1280
10:00- 10:30	CeremonyOpening CeremonyLarissa Abi Nakhle, Co-founder & Head of Partnerships, ZAKAKim Mouawad, Chief Growth Officer, Beirut Digital DistrictNour Fayad, Program Leader, Minister of State for Information Technology and AI	Main Stage · BDD 1280
10:30- 11:15	PanelBuilding and Scaling AI-Powered CompaniesElias Boustani, Chief AI Officer, Zeal ModeratorAlexi Akl, SVP of Solution Delivery, AboardGeorges El Khoury, Founder & CEO, JournableOmar Hmaissy, Chief Product Officer, Toters	Main Stage · BDD 1280
11:15- 11:30	TalkUsing AI to Turn Climate Data into DecisionsMoustafa Wehbe, Lead Engineer, Aboard (formerly Speedlane)	Main Stage · BDD 1280
11:30- 11:40	TalkWhen you hear the name maids.cc, what do you think we do?Manouella Helou, Head of People & CC Customer Service, maids.cc	Main Stage · BDD 1280
11:40- 11:50	TalkThe Intelligence Behind Every OrderToufic Khoury, Product Director, Platform and Fresh, Toters	Main Stage · BDD 1280
11:50- 12:00	TalkBringing AI to Every ClassroomDalia Raydan, Head of AI Programs & Strategic Delivery, SEEDS by ZAKA	Main Stage · BDD 1280
12:00- 12:45	PanelGetting Your Team to Actually Use AITarek Hoteit, Founder, Arabtronics ModeratorTarek Ayna, Founder & CEO, EdgebotMaya Ali, AI Transformation Lead, maids.ccWes Ezzeddine, Co-founder, AI Safety UAE	Main Stage · BDD 1280
12:45- 12:55	TalkAIXplore: Building the Roadmap to an AI-Enabled EnterpriseKarim Raad, Sales and Product Manager, Softflow	Main Stage · BDD 1280
12:55- 13:05	TalkNext-Generation Hiring: AI Talent MatchingElie Jean Azzi, Technical Lead, Integral	Main Stage · BDD 1280
13:05- 13:10	TalkIntroduction to Forward MENAMarwan Atallah, Executive Director, Forward MENA	Main Stage · BDD 1280
13:10- 13:20	TalkYour AI Career Doesn’t Grow AloneLarissa Abi Nakhle, Co-founder & Head of Partnerships, ZAKA	Main Stage · BDD 1280
13:00- 14:00	NetworkingLunch & Networking	All tracks pause · Beirut Digital District
14:00- 16:00	CeremonyFUN Challenge Final CeremonyZAKA × NXT by AM BANKMs. Larissa Abi Nakhle, Co-founder & Head of Partnerships, ZAKADr. Nahla Khaddage Bou-Diab, Chief Executive Officer, AM Bank	Main Stage · BDD 1280
16:00- 18:00	NetworkingNetworking & Happy Hour	All tracks

Technical Workshops

BDD 1075 · Rooftop

Technical Workshops schedule
Time	Session	Location
09:00- 11:00	BreakTrack not yet open - opens 11:00	-
11:00- 13:00	Technical workshopBeyond the Chat Box: The Tool-Calling LoopFadi Assaad, Senior Engineer, Aboard (formerly Speedlane)	BDD 1075 · Rooftop
13:00- 14:00	NetworkingLunch & Networking	All tracks pause · Beirut Digital District
14:00- 16:00	Technical workshopSoftware Engineering with AI: From Agentic Coding to Production-Ready DevelopmentNicolas Hawat, Founder & CEO, Start Me Up AI - Builder of Byblos AI	BDD 1075 · Rooftop
16:00- 18:00	NetworkingNetworking & Happy Hour	All tracks

Non-Technical Workshops

BDD 1227-B - LGF

Non-Technical Workshops schedule
Time	Session	Location
09:00- 11:00	BreakTrack not yet open - opens 11:00	-
11:00- 12:00	Non-technical workshopAI for Architects: From Design to ConstructionFatima Hashem, Instructor, School of Architecture & Design, LAU Architect & AI Agent Builder	BDD 1227-B - LGF
12:00- 13:00	Non-technical workshopClassroom Management Through the Lens of AIDalia Raydan, Head of AI Programs & Strategic Delivery, SEEDS by ZAKA	BDD 1227-B - LGF
13:00- 14:00	NetworkingLunch & Networking	All tracks pause · Beirut Digital District
14:00- 15:00	Non-technical workshopAI for PM: AI Can Build Anything. What Should You Build?Therese Kayrouz, Program Manager, TotersCharles Serhal, Program Manager, Toters	BDD 1227-B - LGF
15:00- 16:00	Non-technical workshopBuild with AI Using Lovable - No Coding RequiredJoseph Elias Al Khoury, AI Engineer, ZAKA	BDD 1227-B - LGF
16:00- 18:00	NetworkingNetworking & Happy Hour	All tracks

Garden Piazza

11:00 - 16:00

Garden Piazza schedule
Time	Session	Location
11:00- 16:00	ExhibitionCompanies Booth	Garden Piazza

Section 4

Official partners

Section 5

Important contacts

Reach out before or during the festival - we’re happy to help.

Speaker coordination

Name: Alissar Younes
Email: alissar@zaka.ai
Phone: +961 76 482 125

Sponsor coordination

Name: Larissa Abi Nakhle
Email: larissa@zaka.ai
Phone: +961 76 855 988

Section 6

Thank you - see you on September 19

Thank you for giving your time, your ideas and your support to Lebanon AI Festival 2026. We can’t wait to welcome you to Beirut Digital District.

Arrive on time

Doors and registration open at 09:00 and the Opening Ceremony starts at 10:00. Main Stage sessions run back-to-back, so please be at your room ahead of your slot.

Save this guide

Keep it on your phone - bookmark this page or use Print / Save as PDF - so the schedule and map are at hand on the day.

Need anything?

Reach out to the ZAKA community at any time before or during the festival - see Important contacts.

Warmly,
The ZAKA CommunityOrganizers of Lebanon AI Festival 2026